Georgia Tech ACT: Average Scores, Ranges, and What You Need to Know

Georgia Tech has an average composite ACT score of 33, with the middle 50% of admitted students scoring between 31 and 34. This makes Georgia Tech a highly competitive school where you need strong standardized test scores to be considered seriously in the admissions process. While these numbers represent only the 25th to 75th percentile of admitted students, they indicate that Georgia Tech is looking for applicants who excel academically and perform exceptionally well on standardized testing.

A good ACT score for Georgia Tech typically falls within the 31 to 35 range, with particular strength demonstrated by scores of 34 or higher. However, having a high ACT score does not guarantee your admission to Georgia Tech, even if you score at or above the 75th percentile. The school evaluates you as a complete applicant, meaning your essays, extracurricular activities, letters of recommendation, coursework rigor, GPA, and demonstrated interest in Georgia Tech all play critical roles alongside your test scores. Many applicants with strong test scores are rejected each year because the admissions committee is searching for students who will contribute meaningfully to campus and thrive in Georgia Tech's challenging academic environment.

You should aim for at least a 31 to have a realistic chance of being considered, as this is the 25th percentile for admitted students. Scoring below 31 puts you well outside the typical range for accepted students and would require truly exceptional qualities elsewhere in your application to overcome this disadvantage. That said, Georgia Tech reviews applications holistically, so if your ACT score falls short of their typical range but you have other significant strengths like outstanding leadership, unique talents, or extraordinary contributions to your community, do not completely rule out applying. Just understand that a weaker test score makes acceptance considerably less likely unless you have truly compelling reasons why your score does not reflect your academic abilities.

Georgia Tech is not test optional and requires all first-year applicants to submit either an SAT or ACT score for consideration. Beginning with the 2025-26 admissions cycle, Georgia Tech reinstated its testing requirement, meaning you must submit official standardized test scores as part of your application. While hardship exceptions may be available for students facing genuine circumstances that prevent them from testing, the expectation is that you will submit one of these exams. This requirement aligns with Georgia Tech's commitment to evaluating academic readiness across its applicant pool.

Georgia Tech employs a superscoring policy for the ACT, which means the school considers your highest individual section scores across all test dates you submit. If you take the ACT multiple times, Georgia Tech will combine your strongest English, Math, and Reading scores from different dates to create your best possible composite score. This policy works significantly in your favor because you can focus on improving individual sections with each test attempt, rather than needing to maintain consistency across all sections on a single sitting. The Science section is not used in their evaluation, so your three core sections are what ultimately matters in the admissions review.

Understanding Georgia Tech's role of the ACT score in admissions requires recognizing that standardized testing is just one component of a comprehensive evaluation process. The admissions office weighs your test scores alongside your high school transcript, the rigor of your coursework, your grade point average, your essays, letters of recommendation, and your extracurricular involvement. Even if you earn a 35 or 36 composite score, a strong ACT alone will not secure your admission because Georgia Tech is looking for evidence that you will engage with their community and succeed in their demanding programs. Your test score demonstrates that you have the intellectual foundation to handle Georgia Tech's coursework, but it does not make the broader case for why you deserve one of their limited seats in each entering class.

At a school as selective as Georgia Tech, with an acceptance rate around 14%, high test scores simply narrow the applicant pool and bring you into consideration, but they do not separate you from other competitive applicants with similar scores. Instead, Georgia Tech's admissions officers look for what makes you distinctive as a person and student. They want to understand your values, what challenges you have overcome, what you are passionate about, how you think and solve problems, and what unique perspectives you will bring to campus. Your ACT score confirms that you have the academic capability to thrive at Georgia Tech, but the remaining elements of your application must demonstrate that you have the character, motivation, and vision to make the most of this opportunity. This is why two students with identical ACT scores can have vastly different admission outcomes based on the strength of their overall applications.

AdmitStudio users who have found success at top colleges often approach their applications as a single, cohesive story, not a checklist of impressive achievements. Rather than treating essays, activities, and recommendations as separate pieces, they focus on presenting themselves as a clear, memorable individual with defined values, motivations, and strengths. Their essays help admissions officers understand why they pursued certain activities, how their experiences shaped them, and what kind of person they would be on campus. This clarity makes it easier for readers to grasp who the applicant is within just a few minutes of review.

AdmitStudio users who are successful also tend to use their essays to connect and reinforce the rest of their application, not repeat it. The essay highlights a few core traits, such as curiosity, leadership, resilience, or initiative, while the activities list and recommendations quietly support those same traits with evidence. By aligning every part of the application around a consistent narrative, these students stand out not because they try to be extraordinary, but because they are specific, authentic, and intentional. Admissions officers come away with a strong sense of the applicant's identity and how they would uniquely contribute to the university community.